


Flavor of Our Days

by exovelvetwriters



Category: EXO (Band), Red Velvet (K-pop Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, EXOVelvet, F/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:15:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28590129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exovelvetwriters/pseuds/exovelvetwriters
Summary: If Wendy were to describe her life, it would just probably take her a minute, maybe two, for her consolation. Honestly, she was getting tired of her life being the most ordinary life possible. Wendy wanted a spice. She wanted something sweet.Until she unexpectedly crossed paths with someone who will add flavor to her life, and along are the memories that were about to be told once again.Genre: Slice of Life, Prompt: Reincarnation
Relationships: Kim Jongdae | Chen & Son Seungwan | Wendy, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Son Seungwan | Wendy
Kudos: 9
Collections: EXOVelvetWritersFest 2.0





	Flavor of Our Days

**VOCABULARY (cheat sheet)** *you can skip this part. : )

**Gat –** type of Korean traditional hat worn by men along with hanbok

**Gisaeng –** highly-trained artist women in ancient Korea who entertained men with music, conversation, and poetry

**Gukbap** **\--** Korean dish made by putting cooked rice into a hot soup or boiling cooked rice in a soup

**Hanbok –** traditional  two piece clothing worn in Korea

**Hanyang –** name of Seoul during Joseon dynasty

**Hopae** – identification tags carried by Koreans during the Joseon dynasty

**Jeogori –** upper garment of a hanbok

**Norigae –** the colorful pendant hanging from the upper part of the hanbok in women

**Yang –** money currency in Joseon

_ Slight smut warning! _

* * *

**_SOMEONE DREAMT_ ** _ of a happy ending while the other pleaded for a normal life. It was as if the skies would hear his words, and the air would feel her desperation. Nonetheless, the two of them still tried. They had nothing to lose either way. And this was their only option left. _

Awakened by the sound of her alarm, Wendy groaned under the sheets of her bed. 

_ Just a minute more, please.  _

Begging to a non-existent listener has always been a part of her war-of-guts against sleep. She knows it’s childish, but does it every single time anyway.

__ Wendy wanted to doze off again peacefully, but her  _ oh-so-persistent _ cellphone won’t just shut the hell up until she gets up. Obviously, on the losing side, she softly rubbed her eyes as proof of surrendering. 

Minutes ago, she was still stuck in her dreamland.  _ What was that dream? _ Her forehead creased while a fraction of her dream replayed in her mind.  _ High-waisted skirts and dragon-patterned robes – Am I gonna star in a period drama or something?  _

Wendy just brushed off her early morning thoughts and reluctantly rose from her bed to start her day.

“Ugh, my hair’s all over the place,” she murmured to herself while looking at her reflection. Despite its shortness, strands of her hair are still a mess.

There’s nothing special about her mornings, as she would say. She will wake up, have a heated fight with her hair, pick up a light breakfast from the fridge, and prepare to go to work. The routines may change or add, depending on her mood and time. 

“It feels good to be alive,” Wendy told herself as she feels the morning breeze in her skin. The garden below her place welcomed her. Between the woods and the blooming flowers is a mini-playground for kids and kids-at-heart, like the man she sees riding a swing from a distance. She can’t see his face as it was only his back that is visible to her. 

_ I still have some time to spare,  _ she thought. Wendy is now walking towards the playground with a smile on her face. It made her ecstatic because it has been a while since she last rode a swing.

**_Reincarnation and past lives._ **

_ Wendy doesn’t believe in those trivial topics. _

_ She said that people must only live once. If something ended, then it’s over.  _

**_No second chances._ **

**_No redemptions._ **

**_But little did Wendy know, she was there._ **

**_In that very same spot, centuries ago._ **

SEUNGWAN CAN’T BELIEVE what her eyes are witnessing. The swing she wanted to ride in near the marketplace in  _ Hanyang  _ is a blockbuster feat. Several children were lining up and waiting for their precious turn. 

Her gaze then shifted to the one riding the famous swing. It was a grown man of the same age as her. 

“What’s taking him too long to finish?” She uttered. “The children are waiting.”

Finally, the man slowly stood up. The kids are also following the man’s action, only to be disappointed later as he sat down on the swing again. That infuriated Seungwan. She doesn’t like those people, especially the ones who abuse their opportunities.

“Excuse me,” she confronted the man who’s been staring blankly into space. “Excuse me,” she repeated and tapped his shoulders. It made the man wake up from his reverie.

He looked at her and the children behind her. He realized that he has been sitting on the swing for too long. 

He quickly got off the swing. “Ah, I’m sorry. Did I make you wait?”

“You could’ve considered them waiting for their turn to ride it,” Seungwan reprimanded him.

“Yes, it’s my fault. I won’t do – ” the man was then interrupted by a loud call from a distance. The lady eyed him before leaving, and went towards the woman who supposedly called her name.

_ Who knew that it was  _ **_the start of an inevitable fate?_ **

Before stepping on the playground’s concrete steps, Wendy heard a familiar tune. She quickly scanned her handbag for her cellphone. The message was from her mom, saying that she will be visiting her place. It has been a routine of hers to pack side dishes for her daughter every week, but because of Wendy’s constant nagging about her weak knees, she just decided to visit once a month.

“Oh, right. I haven’t wired the money this month. Gosh, I almost forgot,” Wendy muttered to herself while tapping her lips repeatedly. Having those thoughts on her head, she left the vicinity without riding the swing. 

While going towards the bus stop, Wendy can’t help but yawn. She’s still sleepy, but she has to work.  _ Time to fill our pockets again. _

A loud thud resonated from the table, which interrupted the presenter from going to her PowerPoints’ next slide and her fellow office mates from listening. Wendy momentarily gasped for air to breathe. Suddenly, all the attention shifted towards her. Looking at the lady’s droopy eyes, all can tell the same thing. 

“What?” She softly asked. 

“Wipe the drool out of your face first,” the one in her left said. She then immediately rubbed the corners of her mouth using the back of her hand. Her action made the whole room fill with laughter, well, except for one.

A few seconds later, a petite figure rose from the furthermost seat. 

“Miss Shon,” an authoritative voice echoed through the corners of the room. In just a moment, the crowd went dead silent.  _ The medusa has awakened _ . 

Wendy stood up in reflex. Several voices mumbled, saying that she was  _ chosen _ by Irene – their boss and their so-called medusa. 

No one in their right minds would want to be on her bad side, and Wendy wasn’t even an exception.

“Yes, Ma’am,” she almost stuttered. Fortunately, she kept her composure. 

Irene’s eyes narrowed while looking at the lady. Despite remaining seated, the people felt like they were carefully walking on thin ice. Almost all were not breathing nor saying a word. 

Just like the mythical creature, no one dared to look at her, afraid that they will experience the same fate as their  _ petrified _ co-worker.

After a long deafening silence, she began to open her mouth, “You should go take the orders for lunch.” With that, her colleagues began to name what they want for their grumbling stomachs.

Wendy continuously scanned the names of the shops as she looks at her phone. She’s been walking beside the road for at least a couple of minutes now. The tingling sensation in her hands is starting to make her uncomfortable. Holding the bags of sandwiches that her officemates wanted feels like it was boulders of rocks. And the sun’s heat doesn’t help her either.

Finally, after a long wait, she spotted the shop’s signage.

“Café D’ Nerine...” she briefly paused as she catches her breath. Then, she double-checked the name written on her phone, “it is.” After looking at it for the last time, she finally went in.

It is a typical rustic coffee shop found in the metropolitan. But unlike the busy streets outside, it surprisingly feels warm and cozy. The  _ Polaroid _ films hanging on the right side of the shop added warmth. And another factor is the number of people inside. Most of them are just using their laptops.

Wendy scanned the area and found the counter. The place intrigued her, so she took a quick walk.

After roaming around, she finally ordered the coffees her colleagues wanted to drink. While taking the company card from the barista, Wendy heard a chime from a distance _. _ She then glanced at the entrance and immediately regretted her decision.

She instinctively turned around, facing the other side where he cannot see her. As always, her reflexes have never once failed her. 

One would call this encounter ‘fate’, but for her, this is a haunting coincidence.

She might be the luckiest person ever, even bumping with her ex while ordering their lunch.

_ Of all the hundred coffee shops in Seoul, why did he end up going here?! In this exact freaking time!  _ Her eyes slightly shut. She thinks of the ways she can think of this time. 

In front of her was where the books are placed. The seats are just limited and are beside the glass windows, which made it a perfect place to hide. Thankfully, there was no one in sight – just a cup of coffee placed on the table. And as dumb as it sounds, she can cover her face with a book for an effective disguise.

She is now sitting on the wingback chair where she can hide and wait for her order.

“Wait, why am I even hiding from him?” She asked herself.  _ It was a two-way break-up. Why am I ashamed to cross paths with him again? _

Then, her vision focused on the unfinished coffee on the table. 

“Why would someone waste such precious coffee?” She changed the topic. 

She looked outside the window. The sun’s still shining brightly. Wendy tilted her wrist. A 90-degree angle showed on her watch. 

_ Fifteen minutes past twelve _ .  _ They might be starving. _

Her wondering stopped when she heard a man’s voice. 

“Excuse me, Miss?” Wendy turned her head to look at the young man. Unfortunately, it wasn’t her order. It was someone else.

“I’m sorry, but that’s my seat,” he added. The man pointed the coffee in front of her, suggesting that he was the one who owns the unfinished coffee. 

Wendy was about to answer the man, but at the same time, she spots her ex going in their direction. Without giving it a thought, she grabbed his hips to cover herself from him. 

The man was obviously stunned by the sudden gesture. She was just a mere stranger – and the thief who stole his spot. 

Immersed in hiding and peeping, Wendy unconsciously tightened the grip on Chen’s shirt that made the man uncomfortable. Curious of who she was hiding, he slowly looked behind him and saw a man with a tall build going outside of the coffee shop.

“Hey,” he slightly poked Wendy’s head that’s now leaning on his belly. “He’s gone.”

“Oh,” Wendy just noticed how near her face was at his body. “Sorry,” her hands and body quickly drifted away from his.

While fixing his wrinkled shirt, the man sat down on the other wingback in front of Wendy. 

“You stole my seat, and helped you hiding just now,” the man stated. “I think that’s enough for me to reclaim my seat, right?” 

He then pulled the cup of coffee closer to him while continuously eyeing her. Not wanting to lose an argument, she added. “There are so many unoccupied seats. Why do you have to sit here?” She rebutted. 

The man slightly snorted, “Because this is my favorite spot,” he said. 

“And I was here even before you sat down in that spot,” he added.

“But you left. So technically, I could claim this seat,” Wendy mentally congratulated herself for that.

The man didn’t retaliate. But instead, he asked for something else.

“May I ask your name?”

Wendy softly chuckled, “That’s so sudden.” 

“Why the change of heart? Are you interested in me, Mister?” She teased him.

“You owe me a coffee,” he replied. “It has gone cold now.”

“Really?”

“And, oh. You don’t only owe me a single cup,” he paused. “Maybe four?” raising his four fingers in the air. The action made her melt inside.  _ That’s adorably cute.  _ She thought.

“Wendy.”

“What?” The man looked puzzled.

“There, it’s Wendy. I thought you wanted to know my name. For, you know. I owe you exactly four coffees,” she replied while slightly stuttering. It took him seconds to digest the information she just spilled.

“Chen’s my name. If you’re curious, by the way” he flashed out a smile.

“And also, I don’t like it when people break their promises. With that, I should know your number,” he added. Wendy can’t help but chortle.

“One, you asked for my name,” she lifted her pinky finger. “You even made me promise four dates with you,” then, the second finger. “And now, you’re asking for my number?” She looked at him with three fingers lifted. “Isn’t this a bit too fast?”

“Who said that those four coffees mean four dates? Aren’t you jumping to false conclusions,” Chen asked the lady. 

“I take hints faster than anyone,” Wendy shrugged. 

“But if you insist, then okay, let’s go on four coffee dates. I will take those into reality,” he replied. 

“Deal?” he took his hand forward for a handshake, and Wendy answered it.

The two of them chit-chatted for a while now. They started from their childhood until the worries and regrets of being an adult. It was actually Chen who contributed stories from her early years. And it envied Wendy. 

Being an only child, she did not experience fights and reconciliation with a sibling. Hearing him talk about his sister and the way his face brightened, she kind of wished she had a more dynamic life as he has.

Their talking was cut off when Wendy’s pager vibrated. 

“It looks like I have to go get my orders,” she said to him. The bigger also stood up. “I’ll help you with that.”

Despite feeling the unbearable summer heat, the two of them made their way to Wendy’s workplace. After getting help from the security, Chen handed Wendy’s orders to him. The latter then mouthed a “thank you”.

“Bye,” she said to Chen – who’s now on the other side of the road, waving his hands while smiling as she walks inside.

**_The hissing of cymbals and bonking of drums_ ** _ was partnered by the noise of merchants attempting to sell their products. _

THIS MARKS another busy day on the outskirts of  _ Hanyang.  _ Countless people filled the marketplace, and their bodies are almost touching while walking between the stalls. 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Seungwan apologized to the woman she bumped to. There are red roses printed on her  _ hanbok.  _

“It’s okay,” the latter tilted her head downward. It showed her hair that is filled with colorful jewel pins. 

Seungwan was about to continue walking, but she felt a foreign object on her foot. She checked it and saw a rectangular tag. 

_Joohyun, 29, Gisaeng._ _It must be from that woman,_ Seungwan thought as she read the records written on it.

Seungwan took the wooden identification badge and ran towards the lady.

“Miss! You dropped your  _ hopae!” _ The woman took it and thanked Seungwan. The two then parted ways.

But it did not stop Seungwan from going through the war of spaces. She went here to shop for the items she likes. And one of those is the colorful  _ norigaes.  _ It was an obsession of hers to collect pendants of different variants.

She continued searching for good ones until one particular  _ norigae _ caught her attention. 

It was a cherry blossom  _ norigae _ with six petals and faint peach pink in color. A pearl was then accented in the middle of the flower. 

Seungwan had her hopes high. She hurriedly took her hand to pick her new collection. But unfortunately, someone beat her to do it. Seungwan has never once felt so disappointed in her life until this very moment. The opportunity was at the tip of his hands, but suddenly, it flew away – like a light feather in the air.

Determined to get the  _ norigae _ back, she shifted his gaze to the person who  _ stole _ her precious collection. 

“How much is this?” The man asked the vendor. Seungwan kept swaying her head side by side to not let the man buy it. The vendor looked at her in confusion.

“Ten  _ yang,”  _ he tried not to bother the odd lady’s desperate stares. 

“Okay, I’ll buy it,” the man said which made Seungwan gasp.

“Excuse me, but,” his attention went towards Seungwan. “Can you not buy that  _ norigae _ ?” She added. The man, who’s almost handing the coins to the hands of the vendor, stopped. 

“Why? I was the first one to ask for its price,” he told her. 

“I was the one who spotted it first,” Seungwan defensed. The man laughed out of sheer disbelief.

“What made you say that  _ you  _ were the one who spotted this first?”

“That man can justify,” she pointed at the vendor who’s eager to take his coins. “He’s my witness.” The vendor was overwhelmed by their stares. 

“The lady first saw the  _ norigae,” _ Seungwan shrugged at the man. “But this young man took the  _ norigae  _ first and then asked me,” the man’s expression lifted. 

“See,” he finally handed the coins to the vendor. 

After claiming the pouch with the _norigae_ , the man walked away. He stopped his tracks when Seungwan called him, “Wait.” She hurriedly paced with him. 

_ Can’t she accept her defeat already?  _ He annoyingly turned back. “What now?”

“How can I redeem it,” she pleaded with utmost sincerity.

“This was never yours in the first place,” he sternly replied. He began walking again, but Wendy stopped him with her body. 

“Hey, what about a  _ gukbap _ ?” She pointed at the small pub on their side. The man just agreed. He wasn’t on the losing side, anyway.

Accepting the offer means he could eat a free lunch and go out with a full stomach.

“Wait, haven’t we met before?” Seungwan tried to remember. They are now sitting in front of the table with their meals.

“The opportunistic swing man!” She excitedly exclaimed. Seeing that his face became sour, the lady quickly apologized.

“Seeing that you have expensive silk used in your  _ hanbok,  _ you must be a noble,” the man pointed out.

“You must be a property owner. The beads hanging in your  _ gat  _ say much,” she replied.

_ The two of them  _ **_exchanged names after_ **

_ And got to  _ **_learn each other a little better._ **

It has been three weeks since Wendy and Chen accidentally met. They decided to meet every Friday. 

After they exchanged stories, the two then exchanged their numbers. Ever since, they were each other’s morning messages and last calls before bed. Who would have thought that they will hit off this perfectly? 

And that explains why that spot is Chen’s favorite. He turned out to be the owner of that café.

They just finished the  _ second cup of coffee _ Wendy owe to Chen. The two are now walking side by side at the nearby park, with an acceptable distance. They were still not in the stage of intimacy. They actually don’t know what the other means to them.

_ Are they just friends? Or are they more than that? _

To break the silence around them, Wendy started to speak. “Why did you name it as Café D’ Nerine?” 

“Was it from a woman’s name?” Wendy tried not to sound bitter. Chen let out a snort.

“No, it wasn’t. You silly,” he reassured. Wendy unconsciously smiled at his answer. 

_ What a baby,  _ Chen thought.

“Have you heard of that flower? I named it from nerines,” her mouth then formed a circle shape. Day by day, they are learning each other’s favorites – and it thrilled Wendy. 

“Of all the flowers you could think of, why nerine?” Wendy asked the man beside her.

**_Flowers and people._ ** __

_ What do they have in common? _

_ Well,  _ **_both will wrinkle and wither_ ** _ , but just in their  _ **_different times._ **

THE SKIES turned tangerine and yellowish. Seungwan admired the sunsets the most because it serves as the connection between day and night.  _ My mother loved sunsets, too _ . Her sentiments made her hands grip on the knots of the swing.

“Here, I saw it when I was walking,” Jongdae handed the lady a six-petaled flower. It was salmon pink in color with ribbons of silver and gold. 

“Do you know this flower’s name?” Seungwan asked him.

Her eyes were still glued to the flower. “Nerine,” she replied with a bitter smile. 

_ And it means  _ **_freedom._ ** __

_ That’s the  _ **_only thing I cannot have._ **

Going back to the present, Chen stopped his tracks and looked at her hopeful eyes.

“Well, it means good fortune. Might as well name it after that. You know, to attract money,” Chen reasoned out. Wendy snorted at his answer.  _ This money-greedy dummy.  _ Without noticing their distance, they unconsciously went a bit closer to each other.

JONGDAE AND SEUNGWAN met outside the marketplace. The former wanted to show something on the outskirts of the city. 

“Where are we going?” Seungwan asked while they were walking. “You’ll know where,” he excitedly said.

The hours went by like minutes because of their constant talking. Finally, they arrived at the place where he wanted Seungwan to be. It was an abandoned house. Beside it was a group of stacked rocks.

“I had a sister,” Jongdae began to speak. “She was just a 16-year-old girl, with a kind heart,” his eyes formed warm fluids. 

Seungwan could feel his pain losing her. “She had dreams. She wanted to live. Who in the right mind would do such an immoral deed?”

“Do you have any idea of the person who would do it?” Seungwan gently caressed his shoulder. 

Jongdae put the  _ norigae  _ at the top of the tower. “I swore to Yerim that I will give her justice.”

“In my own hands, I will make sure to take the life of the King.” 

Seungwan's expression differed. 

It was unreadable. But her eyes definitely spoke volumes.

The pitter-patter sound was heard from the roof of Jongdae’s old house. The two of them are now inside while Jongdae is preparing the room she will be using. Right in the corner, Seungwan can’t help but recall their conversation earlier this afternoon.

“Jongdae, will you be alright?”

“About what?” He asked while dusting the pillows. 

“Your plan of killing His Majesty.” she elaborated. 

“What will you do after?” The idea was far-fetched. And if he succeeded, how will he escape the consequences?

Jongdae went near Seungwan and pulled her closer.

“I have you,” almost breathing the three words out of his mouth while caressing her hand. Seungwan looked at her lover in return.

His other hand slowly traveled to her neck. His touch made her blood rise to her cheeks. Jongdae then leaned forward for a kiss. It was sweet yet a needing one. And it made Seungwan feel butterflies in her stomach. 

Their lips meet again for another kiss, but this time, his tongue made its way into her mouth’s entrance, moving against the other.

Then, it led him on top of her, Seungwan’s hands unconsciously made way to clung to Jongdae’s neck. His hand found its way down, pulling the ribbon of her  _ jeogori _ , exposing her bare breast. 

Seungwan felt self-conscious. This is the first time she showed her body to someone. But Jongdae reassured her with a soft kiss on her brow.

Their lips parted for a while to gasp for air to breathe, and eyes still locked with each other. They took the chance of discarding the remaining cloths covering their skin. With the rhythm just like the swift sound of the raindrops, they began to move.

**_Seoul Weather didn’t say it will rain this hard!_ **

It has been continuously pouring for an hour now. And to mention Wendy’s luck, she did not bring an umbrella with her. Although her place is just a quarter of a kilometer away, the rain could still make her soaking wet. 

“Wendy, I’m sure that this rain won’t stop,” Chen said. “Let’s go. I will take you home,” he added.

“But we don’t have any umbrella here.”

Without minding what the other said, Chen removed his trench coat and made it their cover.

The two of them were obviously drenched by the rain after running.

Now, they reached Wendy’s place. Chen continuously rejected the offer, but was dragged to her place either way.

Wendy tried to break the awkwardness enveloping them. “You could wash in the bathroom. I will hand you a towel, just a moment.”

“Wait,” Chen suddenly grabbed Wendy’s hand. “You have something in your hair,” he lifted his other hand to remove the thread of his coat on his head. 

His warm touch made Wendy feel the electricity flowing through her body. The feeling is foreign, but strangely, it feels right.

Chen moved closer and closer. They are too close.  _ Too  _ close that her heart would burst at any moment. She then closed her eyes, expecting something to happen.

“Wendy-yah, auntie packed mackerel in—oh.” 

And, with that, Kai saw the two. Wendy and a man that he has never once seen before, almost kissing.

His presence made Wendy push Chen away.

The latter regained his balance. “Who are you? And why are you inside of Wendy’s house?” He asked Kai, who still cannot believe what he is witnessing.

Kai scoffed at his questions, “I think I should ask you that, Mister  _ Tadashi Hamada.”  _ That earned him a glare from Wendy. Kai just shrugged. 

Looking confused, Chen shifted his gaze to Wendy – who’s been busy mouthing words to Kai.

“What are you doing here?” Wendy tried to make her voice sweet.

“Side dishes,” he lifted the canvas bag on his right. “I volunteered to bring this since I’ll be going back here. But, I guess. I should head back again to  _ Busan  _ to tell your father that her daughter – ” Wendy cut him off by taking the bag near the kitchen.

“Why are you all soaking wet? Don’t tell me you did something inside the shower?” Kai gave Wendy a suspicious look. 

“No, it’s not what you think of,” Chen defensed. “We didn’t have any umbrella—“

“Enough of the talking. The rain has already stopped. Now, go,” Kai interrupted Chen. 

Wendy pinched Kai which made him whine. “You should first change,” Wendy said. “Kai has spare clothes inside.”

“Great, just great,” Kai’s voice filled with annoyance.

_ They say that  _ **_your enemies in the past_ ** _ could be either of the two  _ **_in the present_ ** _ : _

_ The  _ **_one who cares_ ** _ or the one who still  _ **_makes your life harder_ ** _. _

THE COMBINATION of black and bronze translucent fabric hanging on the lady’s wide brim hat made her stand out. 

“The King will be out of the palace on the 27 th ,” she cautiously said to the committee. She’s wearing a dark palette  _ hanbok  _ and a see-through burgundy  _ jeogori _ that made her fair skin visible. 

With her lips as red as blood, she continued to speak, “The royal minister, who frequents at our  _ gisaeng  _ house, said that His Majesty will attend the royal ancestral rites.”

“That’s a crucial information, Joohyun. Good job,” Jongdae complimented her.

The man, wearing an all-black  _ hanbok,  _ nodded. He looked like the leader of the group. “We need to hurry and execute our plan before the rites.”

“Are there any updates?” The man then asked. “Jongin, have you searched for it?” All of the attention shifted to the young man wearing a black straw hat that almost covered his face. 

“Yes, sir. I’ve located the exiled Princess Gwang-hee,” he went forward to post the sketch of the princess’ face. 

Jongdae and the other members looked at the scroll. And he almost can’t believe his eyes.  _ The features of the sketch and Seungwan’s are identical. _

“Why should we target her? I mean, the Princess was already dethroned.” Jongdae almost faltered.  _ No, this can’t be. _

“In that way, we will see the King crumble in pieces first before meeting his demise,” Jongin butted in. 

From the gossips of palace ladies, rumors said that the King favored Princess Gwang-hee the most. With that, several people tried to find a flaw in her mother. Fortunately for them, they  _ found _ a book in the late Queen’s chambers that highlights the teachings of Catholicism, saying that it was a form of an evil act.

The young Princess was, then, deposed by her father. The only person she thought will save her from the people who tarnished the name of her mother.

But for the King, it was the other way around. __

**_Exiling her precious daughter_ ** _ was the only way she can  _ **_survive this madness._ **

This day marks their last date. So far, nothing has changed between them. It’s just that they almost crossed the line, but her cousin prevented that from happening. 

They decided to meet at her place’s playground this afternoon. Wendy doesn’t know what to do, to be honest.  _ What if he doesn’t want us to continue? What if we go all the way and fell out of love? _

Waiting for him at the bench, she can’t help but think of all the possibilities. 

**_How powerful can someone’s resentment be?_ **

**_Would it give you something you wanted?_ **

**_Or would it cost you everything you have?_ **

Seungwan felt giddy to tell him the exciting news. These days, Jongdae has been cautious of his actions. He always wanted to meet in a secluded area, where there are little to no people present.

She looked behind her and saw Jongdae going in her direction. She lifted her hands for him to notice her.

Unbeknownst to Jongdae, a man in a black straw hat followed him.

Looking in Seungwan’s direction, he saw a man running towards her. 

“No!” Jongdae screamed as loud as he can. But it did not prevent the thing that is bound to happen.

His scream turned into a sob. Seungwan felt a sharp object pierce into her. 

_ Ah, so this is what it feels like _ , Seungwan thought _.  _ She was in so much pain that she turned numb. 

Seungwan looked at him right through his eyes. They were shaking, with tears escaping out of them. Liters of blood was now gushing from her stomach where the sword had gone in. All of these are happening at once, and it’s starting to drain her. 

_ Please, don’t cry _ .  _ Your eyes are not meant for that. _

Seungwan used all the strength left in her body to hold his face for the last time. Waves of their shared memories started to rush in her mind, like a sequence of watercolor paintings. 

The swing in  _ Hanyang  _ where they first met. The marketplace at the nearby town. And the night when the two of them became true to themselves.

Spectrums of emotions filled her mind as warm beads of fluid formed into her eyes. Strangely enough, there was no feeling of betrayal in her – not even a pinch nor a bit. 

“I’m so sorry, Seungwan,” Jongdae choked back his tears.

“No, don’t be,” she softly mouthed.

But above all was regret. Seungwan wanted to do more things with him. She longed for their future together. Because, at last, there’s someone who can make her life tolerable.

And for the first time, Seungwan wanted a normal life – with him and the growing human inside of her.

**_Maybe, the heavens were listening all along._ **

“Wendy Shon!” His voice made her turn around. All the worries and what-ifs vanished in her head. It was full of Chen.

The Chen brewing her a coffee to make her days feel better.

The Chen with a sulky face whenever the shop’s sales are low.

The Chen with a face that brightens when he laughs.

And the Chen who’s going towards her now.

“Let’s go?” He forwarded his hand. Wendy smiled at him and clasped her hand into his.

“Let’s go.” 

The two of them have officially started to cross the line. And there’s no turning back. 

Wendy cannot wait to fill her days with different flavors, may it be bitter or sweet. 

As long as it’s with him,  **she would gladly taste it.**

**THE END**

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments for our author! <3 You could also leave a like and share with your friends on Twitter! Just look for our festival thread on @exovelvetwrtrs.


End file.
